COVENTRY City manager Andy Thorn was left ruing his side’s shortcomings at both ends after they suffered defeat at home to in-form Hull.

Corry Evans – younger brother of Manchester United’s Jonny – scored the only goal of a tight game with a smart finish from 15 yards on the hour after the Sky Blues failed to clear a routine ball into the box.

Richard Wood had earlier hit the post for Coventry from close range while Lukas Jutkiewicz and Clive Platt both wasted decent openings in front of goal.

It was the Tigers’ third win in a week after impressive home victories over Leicester and Birmingham while Coventry remain rooted to the foot of the table without a win in ten.

Thorn said: “It was a scrappy game and I thought we looked really edgy in the first half.

“We had some good opportunities to take the lead, a great chance when we hit the post but when things don’t go for you they won’t go for you.

“The defining moment is when they loft the ball into our box, we don’t deal with it and the ball ends up in the back of our net.

“We have to keep going, stay positive and get back out on the training ground and work at it again. I can’t fault the players’ effort but nothing is dropping for us at the moment.”

There were three changes to the side that suffered defeat at Portsmouth last weekend with Gary McSheffrey, Conor Thomas and Cody McDonald coming in to replace Sammy Clingan, Gael Bigirimana and Clive Platt.

It was McDonald that made the first contribution, combining with Lukas Jutkiewicz to wrestle the ball away from Hull defender James Chester. Jutkiewicz then tried to slip his strike partner in on goal but his through ball was blocked.

The Tigers had the lion’s share of possession after that but were unable to unleash lively strikers Matty Fryatt and Aaron McLean to trouble the Coventry defenders.

It was Hull’s backline that was at panic stations on 25 minutes when, after being cleverly picked out by a McSheffrey free-kick, Richard Keogh centred for Jutkiewicz – but the Sky Blues’ top scorer was swamped by defenders who eventually managed to clear.

Joe Murphy was called into action for the first time from the resulting counter attack as Cameron Stewart drove at goal and fired in a shot. The Irishman parrying to safety but only after an over-elaborate number of stopovers from the winger.

Fryatt and McLean continued to look the more threatening attacking duo and both could have broken the deadlock but for brave blocks, first by Gary Gardner, then Nathan Cameron.

Gardner was lucky to still be on the pitch after a reckless challenge on Paul McKenna bought only a yellow card – a decision that understandably angered the visitors – so they would have been livid had Wood converted Gardner’s deep cross ten minutes before half-time but as he was denied by the post.

Platt came on to replace McDonald at the break – after the latter injured himself coming out for the second half – and although he posed a new threat with his size and work rate it was Hull that took the initiative once again. Stewart, Fryatt and Robert Koren all fired in shots from range but Murphy was equal to each of them.

He could do little to prevent the opener however. Left back Andy Dawson sent in a looping cross from the byline from which McLean did enough to prevent Wood clearing. The ball fell to Evans 15 yards from goal and the Northern Ireland international made no mistake with his finish low into the bottom corner.

The Sky Blues’ response was positive but they failed to muster anything more effective than two shots from distance, Gardner blasted over from 20 yards before Thomas found the target with a similar type of effort but the keeper gathered at the second attempt.

Murphy seemed less comfortable when a McLean shot flashed across his goal 25 minutes from time – but to his relief it sailed just wide. The introduction of Gael Bigirimana saw more forward-thinking play from Coventry. Hull keeper Peter Gulasci had to get down well to save a right-footed drive from Jutkiewicz after a good through ball from Carl Baker before the striker headed over from Bigirimana’s deep cross.

Platt went closest to finding an equaliser in the first minute of stoppage time but his sliding effort sailed just wide after a good header across goal from Gardner.